Clitocybe odora, the Aniseed Funnel Cap, is more
easily detected by its scent than by its appearance. The pale blue
colour of young specimens soon fades towards light grey.
Cap
|
3 to 8 cm in diameter, blue-green at first but
fading towards pale cream; smooth and non-greasy; convex, later flattening
and eventually becoming funnel-shaped with a wavy margin.
The cap flesh is white, thin and very tough; edible but best dried and
used as a flavouring. |
Gills
|
Paler than the cap surface, the gills
are adnate or slightly decurrent, fairly broad and moderately spaced.
Like the cap surface, the gills also pale with age. |
Stipe |
5 to 10 mm in diameter and 4 to 6 cm tall, the stem is silkily fibrous and
is covered in fine white downy fibres towards the slightly swollen base. |
Spore print |
White. |
Odour/taste |
Strong odour and taste of aniseed. |
Habitat |
In broad-leaf litter; mainly under beech
trees. |
Season |
July to October. |
Occurrence |
Infrequent. |
Similar species |
- Stropharia
aeruginosa has a greasy greenish-blue cap when young; its
surface is covered in scales, especially near the margin; it does not
smell of aniseed.
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